How To Lather Correctly With Your Badger Brush

So here instructions on lathering and aftercare for our precious jewels;

First from Thater, note ...... circular motion to load and to apply the lather. Brush is hung bristle down after rinsing and shaking out.

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Next a word from Shavemac ;

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The Plisson company knows a thing or two about the proper use and care of a shaving brush;

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And now a word from Simpsons. Note that this is the only brush maker that I have instructions for, which stresses 'painting motions' to load, and to lather. Saying that heavy circular motion in loading, and in lathering, will 'damage the hair of the brush.'

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Above is the Simpson instruction sheet when they were made in Somerset. Below we have essentially the same sheet, with a different set of charactuers representing the shaver. Also the stress on 'light to and from strokes' is in italics on the older instruction sheet, and in bold face type on the Isle of Man Simpson instructions.

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Finally we hear from soap maker extradonaire, Martin De Candre. They too have instructions on how to use your brush to get the most out of their wonderful soaps, circular motions .......... but lightly and politely. :)

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So it seems that the majority of this small survey of brush and shaving soap/cream experts favor circular motion to load and to lather. Where they all agree is that it be done gently. Also that the brush is better hung bristles down to dry out, than standing bristle up.

Over and out :tu

I actually do a little of both when building lather on the face.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

I actually do a little of both when building lather on the face.

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Oh, me too. I don't know if I ever did painting strokes before I saw Lynn's DVD. I might have, just don't recall. When Lynn shaves in that DVD he lathers circular, applies it circular. I think it was after the second lathering that he used some painting strokes and it was like a light bulb went on in my head saying it was a great idea if you were down to the point where it would be efficient. :idea:

Thanks Jimmy - interesting reading, I was half-way through saying to myself, but whose the one's who say that using a circular motion will absolutely destroy your brush and it's verboten!! LOL

Simpson's of course...

Which is interesting, as I use circular motion obviously to load the brush (don't see how you could do anything else), yet they would say doing the same thing on the face is wrong? I've been paying attention lately to how I apply the lather to the face, and turns out, I'm more a to and fro guy then circular motion anyhow.

The MdC instructions included one important thing that I initially missed, you get slimey soap on your face with MdC if you use more than a smidge of the stuff...I remember my first jar of the stuff, and ended up with paper mache it was so thick first time I used it, took me quite awhile to get my brush cleaned up after that time...and of course to properly then store it bristle's down.

Plisson say's hot water, others say not too hot water...think boiling water would be a better phrase, as I have a Semogue brush downstairs with some nicely crinkled up boar bristles and wrinkled paint from soaking it in "boiling" water when I first started out.:)

So should we all start loading our brushes in a to and fro manner?:rofl2:

Thanks for taking the time to put this together...:)

It's my brush and I'll do as I please with it! :rofl2:

No doubt treating your brush gently will reduce the wear and tear on it.

As for hanging a brush bristles down... I'm afraid I'm a firm believer in capillary action, and have always shaken out excess water after rinsing and always rested the brush on it's handle, bristles up. I've never felt the need to pad the brush makers coffers by purchasing their brush stand. So far, I've only lost two brushes, one a Simpson from the time they got some bad handle material and it cracked within a year, the other started shedding, and I suspect the knot, and not my treatment of it, as it happened within a couple of years. But... if it makes anyone feel better about it, by all means, hang the brush bristles down.

One tends to worry more, when one pays more for a brush, perhaps that's why I only have one brush that cost more than $100, and I don't use it that often?!?!

In fact, I'm super pleased with my cheapo 22mm knot from China/Ebay and a Whipped Dog cheap handle... a bit of epoxy and it has been my goto brush ever since I lost my Simpsons Colonel. I have another Colonel, a custom made job by Simpsons that has a premium knot, but I honestly prefer the cheap one I put together myself. No brush will last forever, but I use mine the way that feels good to me, and if that means having to buy a new brush sooner, I'm OK with that.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Thanks Jimmy - interesting reading,

So should we all start loading our brushes in a to and fro manner?:rofl2:

Thanks for taking the time to put this together...:)

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I'm more of a hither and yon kinda guy, it's just how I roll.:w

Funny how when I received a Simpson, I was concerned about my circular lathering habits being bad for the brush somehow after reading their information sheet.
However after many shaves, and many circular lather loadings, it still seems perfect..

I think the real point here is lightly. I had a brush that never lost a hair for a year. A friend came over and smashed it into his hand and started doing strokes then circles. Not sure which but the hair was breaking off like there was no glue on the end of it. I grabbed it in time to save it LOL. I do circles until the second or third pass. Once the hair is off the face you might as well just paint because ,on my face at least, creating lather without hair just ain't happening.
A stiff brush may load just as fast with paint strokes as circles but a nice soft badger,,,, um not so much I think. At first I set my brushes down hair up because I didn't have a stand. Pixel made a comment once that made me go right out into the garage and make 1. Forget exactly what he said (you know Pixel ) but the idea of leaving a brush hair up and wet, disturbs me.

Thanks for the instruction pics. I love em :<0)

Lynn's videos are where I learned to lather and shave so I follow his example mostly.

I picked up a neat trick from one of Obie's posts. I place the handle of my brush horizontally over the pour hole of my scuttle and let the fur/bristle hang out over the bowl.

This reminds me about reading about honing on the net. What is the proper pressure?

If you smash your brush into your soap and then your face you are going to bust hairs. [On the brush!]

Use a reasonable amount of pressure on the tips of the brush to make your lather and the brush will last a long time.

What is a reasonable amount? I find that hard to convey.........:)

I always thought being instructed not to use circular motions with a shave brush was a lot like being placed in a circular room with instructions to pee in the corner. Like others have said the important thing is to use light pressure when doing circular strokes with a shave brush. Just enough pressure to splay the knot slightly not mash it close to flat on your face.

Bob

Ive seen vids where the shaver smashes a tiny btush on his face to work up lather. It just didnt look like a good idea to me. Id say when lathering i use enough pressure in a circular motion that the brissles are compressed about a third of the knot length. Thats a good splay but not extreme. I think its not extreme. I got 6 brushes and rotate thru them. Diffrent lofts, thinknesses, material, and these all work just fine.

I too had two brushes i had to replace the knot because they were shedding. One was a cheepie and the other a whippeddog. I was told at whippeddog it was my fault but i dont think so. He was good about it and i got a refund but i still think it was the brush as the rest of my brushes have no problems.

Circles most the time for me then painting to smooth it out. And yes, on the third pass its just painting.

I use circular motions and then a painting motion, works good on my face.

Now I have the brush I started using about 12 years ago. That brush is not the top of the line but not the cheapest either. I have mashed it about 1/3 -1/2 way to the knot loading and lathering, still is solid. Now I've learned more and don't apply massive amounts of pressure anymore, but still use circular motions more than any other

Paint strokes for me, then I load the brush again and gently dab on more lather. I lather twice, once for a right-hand shave and again for the left-hand. No xtg pass needed.

I face-lather, exclusively, and I start off with circular motions and finish with paint-brush strokes. :)

Ya mean I can't use my Plisson HMW #150 brush to repaint my ford ranchero? I figured a good cleaning and it would be right as rain for shaving again.

Wait........what? You have a Ranchero?



I didn't thin there were but 10 of those left out there

Amen to capillary flow. That is why the badger keeps its skin dry. The badger does not hang upside down. The hair wicks the water away just as a blotter is used to dry wet ink. So I suggest save your money on the brush stand and buy more soap! Hahaha.

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Originally Posted by BanjoTom

Amen to capillary flow. That is why the badger keeps its skin dry. The badger does not hang upside down. The hair wicks the water away just as a blotter is used to dry wet ink. So I suggest save your money on the brush stand and buy more soap! Hahaha.

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But then again, a badger doesn't have an epoxy/glue wood or plastic base knotted on it's back, and doesn't stay stationary for the majority of it's life.

I'll keep hanging mine upside down and let gravity draw the water away from the base of the knot, where I have seen some thoroughly disgusting black crud/sludge develop upon removing a knot....:-)

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Originally Posted by Dieseld

Wait........what? You have a Ranchero?



I didn't thin there were but 10 of those left out there

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El Camino fan here. :-)

I start out with circular motions to exfoliate and finish with painting strokes to smooth out the lather.
I've never been a fan of introducing my brushes to super hot water

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Originally Posted by BanjoTom

Amen to capillary flow. That is why the badger keeps its skin dry. The badger does not hang upside down. The hair wicks the water away just as a blotter is used to dry wet ink. So I suggest save your money on the brush stand and buy more soap! Hahaha.

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The badger keeps his skin dry, because he generates a lot of body heat running from the Chinese Knot Collector; you can bet when he's caught, he'll be hanging upside down. :shrug:

I have found that circular motions are just fine as long as you remember to exfoliate in a clockwise direction on the left side of the face and counter clock wise on the right side of the face.
Use painting strokes for the chin and upper lip going from left to right only. (unless you are left handed)
Warning.......the mirror will try to confuse you.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

The badger keeps his skin dry, because he generates a lot of body heat running from the Chinese Knot Collector; you can bet when he's caught, he'll be hanging upside down. :shrug:

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Now that is just ferkin' crazy how much that made me laugh out loud....think I pee'd in my darn fancy pants!!!

..............:roflmao

Hirlau - 5 out of 5 Gold Stars for that one!!!

:rock:

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

The badger keeps his skin dry, because he generates a lot of body heat running from the Chinese Knot Collector; you can bet when he's caught, he'll be hanging upside down. :shrug:

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Another place for the laugh out loud button...
:tu
Damn quick wit sir...

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I picked up a cheap badger brush today and was wondering. do the badger work better with cream or hard soap. I've always used boar brushes so this will be new.

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Originally Posted by rhensley

I picked up a cheap badger brush today and was wondering. do the badger work better with cream or hard soap. I've always used boar brushes so this will be new.

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IME a shorter loft works better with hard soaps, and a longer loft works better with creams. If the brush has good backbone even a longer loft will work well with soaps, but if it is floppy, long or short, it won't work well with either ....... at my house. YMMV :)

I have a FANTISTIC Simpson's brush. The only thing that I don't like about it is those instructions that make me feel guilty every time I make lather with any brush.

Paint or swirl...
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Originally Posted by rhensley

I picked up a cheap badger brush today and was wondering. do the badger work better with cream or hard soap. I've always used boar brushes so this will be new.

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It's not the price of the badger nor the source of the lather; it's how you work the swirl. :beer2:

All those instructions remind me of the Uhaul car trailers that have a giant warning on them to not exceed 45mph. That way, if you ruin your brush, it is your fault because you weren't gentle the same way that Uhaul is not responsible if you crash doing the speed limit. We told you.